Gift Giving with Herbs & Your Garden's Harvest Merry Christmas!

There is nothing comparable to receiving a gift that is handmade from the giver!

Sandy Bates making candles

In our very busy hectic, fast paced lives, it is so special when someone decides to take the time to make gifts to give to family and friends for Christmas.

I was amazed last weekend, when my gardening and herb friend, Sandy Bates decided to do just that. She brought a harvest from her own gardens in Austin, and we got to work!

Sandy reminds me of the song, "Love is all around" because she is an amazing successful business woman, gardens, cooks, has a family and has just authored, are you ready for this....... The Social Innovation Imperative, published by McGraw Hill. The kindle edition comes out this month and is available on amazon and the hardcover copy comes out January 2012. http://www.amazon.com/Social-Innovation-Imperative-Products-Challenges/dp/0071754997

In the song, if you are older and remember it goes this way:
Who can turn the world on with her smile?
Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?
Well it's you girl, and you should know it....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkuEfGZffRY&noredirect=1
Over the afternoon, Sandy made candles, potpourri, scented pinecone fireplace starters, and herb vinegars!

Sandy Bates

Over the years Sandy has worked with over 50 companies spanning dozens of industries and more than 100 innovation initiatives, helping executive teams launch award winning products, services and programs. She has engaged and trained hundreds of executives in Outcome-Driven Innovation Methodology, allowing her to enjoy both consulting and teaching others.
I hope that all of you can see by now why I am so impressed that this very busy woman took "the time" to handmake her Christmas gifts with a harvest from her own gardens in Austin.

"The only gift is a portion of thyself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

For recipes to make your own herb vinegars go to our blog from August 7, 2011
http://bloomtoscoop.blogspot.com/2011/08/making-your-own-herb-vinegars.html


Sandy making herb vinegars



Sandy making scented pinecone fireplace starters

  














For other homemade recipe ideas go to http://www.urbanherbal.com/recipes/index.htm

                                                       "God waits to win back his own flowers as gifts from man's hand." - Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds, 1916

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!
Blessings,
Roy & Bill Varney

Bill in the garden during winter

Making a Basil Flower Wreath and a cup of Basil Tea

I love the clove scent of basil...          http://www.urbanherbal.com/herb_gardening/basil_7_07.html

Basil allows enlightenment to be absorbed by the physical mind-body, acting as a conduit, grounding at the same time as balancing subconscious thought and conscious reaction, It is then a fragrance of reality--the reality of physical existance and the reality of spiritual existence. It soars through all the realms, holding them together, allowing integration. --From The Fragrant Heavvens by Valerie Ann Worwood 
Valerie describes basil's scent as, warm, rich, fiery, sharp, peppery, aniseed-like.

To make a basil wreath: you will need, basil flowers, from the tops of the plant, florist wire, and some heavy wire to make your wreath base.
Simply cut little bundles of basil flowers, tie together with florist wire and start wiring to the base, continue around the base until you have come full circle. It will take 7 to 10 days to dry. It also makes a unique fragrant centerpiece on a table.

Basil is also a wonderful herb to use for tea. It is believed to relieve stomach cramps, constipation, and has a spicy, clove flavor. How to brew basil tea:
By infusion, use 1 teaspoon of dried basil leaves or 3 teaspoons of fresh leaves, brusied. Cover with a cup of boiling water, and let steep for about 5 minutes. You can flavor it with honey.

Pomanders for an earlier, gentler time to fragrant your personal space

Pomanders
They were originally small balls of gold, silver or ivory and contained rare spices that were fixed with ambergris. They were used to ward off objectionable smells. My favorite pomanders are made with apples, oranges, lemons or limes and studded with cloves and aged in a curing spice blend. They can then be placed in bowls around your home or hung with ribbons to scent the home. Because they look and smell so festive, pomanders have long been associated with Christmas and the holidays.
I love their scent year round and if you start early, you can have a number of them made up ahead of time to give as gifts.
To make a pomander you will need the following:
Oranges, apples, lemons or limes.
Whole large headed cloves
A curing spice mixture ( recipe below )
An ice pick or crochet hook for piercing the fruit. This makes it a lot easier to insert the cloves.
A large bowl to put the curing spices and cure the pomanders.
As you inset the cloves, hold the fruit firmly, but don’t squeeze it. The cloves can be place at random in the fruit. They should be close together, but not too crowded.
Place the studded fruit into a bowl with the curing spices and roll in the spices.
Each day roll the fruit in the spices and continue until the fruit has hardened. They are then done and ready to put in bowls or hand with ribbons.
Curing Spice Mixture
4 ounces powdered cinnamon
2 ounces powdered cloves
1 ounce powdered allspice
½ ounces powdered nutmeg
1 ounces powdered orris root.
This mixture can be used over and over and be stored in a sealed ziplock bag and put in a cool dark cabinet.

The finished pomander can give you a number of years of fragrant pleasure.

Making Lavender Window Cleaner

Homemade Window Cleaner

This window cleaner is cheap to make and works great!

Ingedients:
16 ounces of water
1/2 cup of white or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup (70 %) rubbing alcohol
2-4 drops of essential oil of lavender, or any other
essential oil that you would like to use. Suggestions would be orange oil, rosemary oil, lemon oil, or eucalyptus oil.

Blend the water, vinegar, and alcohol together in a spray bottle, add the essential oil, and your done. Ready to clean your windows!

Pickled Eggs with Fresh Herbs

I love these pickled eggs with rosemary and cinnamon basil. They are wonderful to serve as a snack with cocktails.

Herb Pickled Eggs

6 cinnamon basil sgrigs
6 rosemary sprigs
2 cans sliced beets
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup of dark brown sugar
1 dozen hard boiled eggs peeled
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons pickling spices

Drain the beets, and set beets aside. Pour beet juice into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add the vinegar, and lower to a simmer. Then add the brown sugar, and stir until dissolved. Add the pickling spices.

Put the eggs, beets, and onion slices in a large wide-mouthed, heat proof glass jar or a few glass jars. Tuck rosemary and cinnamon basil sprigs to the jars. Layer the eggs, beats and onions, evenly. Pour the hot beet juice-vinegar mixture over the eggs, beets and onions. Make sure all ingedients are covered. Let cool. Cover the jar with a lid. Let stand in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days before serving.  Enjoy with family and friends.

Making Hungary Toilet Water

Today was another very Hot day .... over 100 degrees again and no rain!!!
So I worked inside most of the day,other than to cut the fresh herbs from the garden for this
simple toilet water, that is great for men and women. It is also refreshing on your skin
when it is so hot!

Here my version of the recipe:

Queen of Hungary Toilet Water

Fresh Rosemary sprigs
Fresh Thyme Sprigs
Fresh Sage Sprigs
Fresh Lavender Sprigs
1/4 cup rose flower water
1/4 cup everclear(95% alcohol)
1/4 cup witch hazel
1/2 cup distilled water
A few drops of essentail oil of the following: rosemary, thyme, lavender, mint and lemon

Mix all of the liquid ingredients together in a large container. Gather a few bottles or one large bottle, put the sprigs of the herbs in the bottle and pour the mixture over the sprigs in the bottles. Shake daily and store in a cool place for at least a week.
Use as a skin toner on the face and body.
Use as a cologne.
It is said that The Queen of Hungary took years off of her life by using this toilet water.

Enjoy!   

Herbal First Aid

It's the natural way.....
Using herbs for your face, body, food, and home is simple, natural and inexpensive.
http://www.urbanherbal.com/herb_tips/index.html

Herbal First Aid

Reach for a remedy from your garden when outdoor activities result in bites, burns, bumps, or blisters. Many herbs, use fresh or in simple preparations, offer time-tested treatments for minor skin maladies.

Heat rash: Use sage, lavender, and lemon balm in a bath. After drying off use a dusting powder made with cornstarch.
Wasp or Bee sting or mosquito bite: Remove the stinger. Apply lavender essential oil.
Sunburn: Apply aloe vera (the gel in the leaves). Use lavender and mint oil in a bath.
Minor cut: Apply clean, fresh crushed plantain, mullein, or comfrey leaf.
Scrapes: Apply a mullein, or yarrow poultice or rose geranium essential oil. Use thyme, calendula and rosemary in a bath.

When treatment is needed, first use clean, cool water and a little soap to clean the affected area; apply ice to reduce swelling.

Seek medical advice for serious injuries or if you have allergic reactions.

Fresh Rosemary Wreath

To take advantage of an abundance of rosemary in your garden during the hot months, make this simple wreath.

Materials:
3 feet of garden wire
Wire cutters
Medium gage florists wire
12 long stems of fresh rosemary

This wreath is delightful, fragrant and extremely easy to make.
You can use similar herbs to make other herb wreaths.

1. Make a hook at each end of the garden wire. Bend the wire into a circle, and join the ends together and wire closed.
2. Start at the top of the wreath, use florist's wire to attach a stem of rosemary to one side so that it's leafy top points into the middle. Repeat on the other side. Wire stems of rosemary down both sides. Add extra pieces until the wreath is completely covered with the thickness you desire.